Cabinet joining structure



April 30, 1957 W. E. GOEBEL CABINET JOINING STRUCTURE United States Patent 2,790,691 CABINET JOINING STRUCTURE Walter E. Goebel, N orwalk, Conn, assignor to American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 25, 1955, Serial No. 503,487 4 Claims. (Cl. 312--111) This invention relates to a joining means operable to secure two or more cabinet members to each other and more particularly to a channel type joining member operable to secure two cabinet members to each other.

An object of this invention is to provide a means to secure two cabinet members to each other without the use of conventional fastening means.

Another object is to provide a joining means which will draw the cabinet members into abutting relation and rigidly secure the cabinets to each other so that the cabinet members are not movable relative to each other.

Another object is to provide a joining means that will align the cabinet members so that their top, bottom, front and rear walls are in the same respective planes.

Another object is to provide a joining means which is simple and sturdy in construction, easy to assemble and disassemble and economical to manufacture.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings to be taken as part of the specification there is clearly and fully illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which drawrugs:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the joining channel positioned to secure two cabinets to each other.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the channel ear portions being positioned under the cabinet rear flanges.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the joining channel in operative position.

ing the joining channel in operative position with the channel tab members being bent inwardlythereby securing the joining channel to the cabinet structure.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference there are shown two cabinets 1 and 2, which are similar in construction and like parts of the cabinets will be Cabinets 1 and 2 have side walls 3 and 4, a rear wall 5 and a front frame member 6 each of which have upper horizontal edge portions that terminate in the samehorizontal plane.

The cabinet front frame member 6 may be adapted to provide means to hinge a door thereon or adapted to support a plurality of drawers within the cabinet structure.

A cabinet top 7 has a rectangular base portion 8 with L vertical wall portions extending upwardly from all four marginal edges. The vertical wall portions to which the cabinet side walls 3 and 4 are secured are designated cabinet top side walls 9 and 10. The vertical wall portions to which the rear cabinet wall 5 and front designated cabinet top side wall Web portions 13 and 14, rear wall web portion and front wall web portion 16. Each of the cabinet top horizontal web portions has a flange portion extending downwardly from the inner marginal edge and are designated cabinet top side wall flanges 17 and 18, rear wall flange 19 and front wall flange 20. Each of the flanges are so shaped to provide openings or spaces 21 between each of the adjacent flanges. The cabinet top 7 thus comprises a rectangular member with an inwardly extending box-like frame structure that adds strength and rigidity to the cabinet construction. The inner surface of the side walls 3 and 4 are secured to the outer surface of the cabinet top side walls 9 and 10 with their upper horizontal edges in the same horizontal plane as the side wall web portions 13 and 14. Similarly, the inner surface of the rear wall 5 and front frame member 6 are secured to the outer surface of the cabinet top rear wall 11 and front wall 12 with their upper horizontal edges in the same horizontal plane as the front and rear wall web portions 15 and 16. The side wall flanges 17 and 18 have a pair of spaced slots 22 extending vertically therein to provide tab members 23 and 24.

The joining channel generally designated by the numeral 25 is channel shaped and has a body portion 26 and downwardly extending flanges 27 and 28. The body portion 26 terminates in a front transverse edge portion 29 and a rear transverse edge portion 30. The flanges 27 and 28 are parallel to each other and have lower edge portions 31 and 32 bent outwardly to form cam type edge portions. Each of the channel flanges have a pair of spaced slots 33 extending vertically therein which form tab members 34 and 35. The channel flanges 27 and 28 extend beyond the body portion rear transverse edge portion 30 and are shaped to form ear portions 36 and 37.

In construction of the. joining channel 25 the preferred longitudinal dimension of the body portion 26 between the front transverse edge portion 29 and the rear trans- -verse edge portion 30 should be substantially equal to the inner dimension between the rear wall flange 19and the front wall flange 20. The preferred transverse dimension between the inner surfaces of the joining channel flanges 27 and 28 should be substantially equal to the dimension between the outer surface of the cabinet top side wall flange portions 17 and 18 when the cabinets 1 and 2'are positioned with their side walls 3 and 4 in abutting relation.

Operation In order to secure the cabinets 1 and 2 to each other, their rear walls 5 are aligned and the cabinets 1 and 2 are positioned so that the side wall 4 of cabinet 1 abuts the side wall 3 of cabinet 2. The joining channel 25 is then positioned above the side wall web portions 14 and 13 substantially as shown in Figure 1. The rear portion of the joining channel 25 is lowered and the ear portion 36 is inserted in the space or opening 21 between the side wall flange 18 and rear wall flange 19 of cabinet 1. Simultaneously the ear portion 37 is inserted in the space 21 between the side wall flange 17 and the rear wall flange 19 of cabinet 2. The joining channel ears 36 and 37 are inserted in the respective openings 21 until the joining channel body portion rear transverse edge 39 abuts the side wall web portions 14 and 13. The joining channel 25 is then rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2. The upper edges of the ear portions 36 and 37 will move into abutting relation with the under surface of the rear wall web portions 15 and act as a fulcrum for the joining channel 25. The channelflange cam edge portions 31 and 32 guide the joining channel flanges 27 and 23 over the cabinet top side wall web portions 14 and 13 and permit the inner surface of the channel flanges 27 and 28 to move into abutting relation with the cabinet top side wall flange portions 18 and 17 respectively. The undersurface of the channel body portion 26 will also move into abutting relation with the upper surface of the cabinet top side wall web portions 14 and 13. When in operative position as viewed in Figure 3 the channel body portion rear transverse edge portion 30 is aligned with each of the cabinet top rear wall flange portions 19 of both cabinets 1 and 2. In like manner the channel body portion front transverse edge portion 29 is aligned with each of the cabinet top front wall flange portions 20 of both cabinets 1 and 2. The channel tab members 34 and 35 are also in overlying relation with the tab members and 24 in the cabinet top side wall flange portions 18 and 17. To lock the joining channel 25 in its operative position, the channel tabs 34 and 35 are bent inwardly along with the cabinet top side wall tab members 25 and 24 thereby securing the joining channel 25 to the cabinets 1 and 2.

It should be understood that although the operation of this joining channel has been described as joining the upper side edges of a pair of cabinets, it is within the scope of this invention to secure cabinets orthe like by other portions than those described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a pair of cabinets each having a first wall and a second Wall, said second wall extending normal to and from said first wall, said walls each having an edge portion terminating in an inturned web portion with inner edge portions, a joining channel adapted to secure said cabinet members to each other, said joining channel having a body portion with transverse and longitudinal edge portions, flange portions extending in the same direction from each of said body portion longitudinal ed ges, each of said flange portions extending beyond the same transverse edge portion to form ear portions, said cabinet members positioned with said first walls in abutting relation and said second walls aligned in the same vertical plane, said joining channel positioned with said ear portions under each of said second wall web portions and said channel body portion under surface abutting said first wall web portions, said joining channel flange portions abutting the inner edge portions of said first wall web portions thereby securing said cabinets to each other.

2. In combination, a pair of cabinet members each having a rear wall and a side wall, said rear walls and side walls each having a horizontal edge portion terminating in an inturned web portion with inner free edge portions, a joining channel adapted to secure said cabinet members to each other, said joining channel having a body portion with transverse and longitudinal edge por tions, flange portions extending in the same direction from said body portion longitudinal edges, each of said flange portions extending horizontally beyond the same transverse edge of said body portion to form ear portions, said cabinet members positioned with said side walls in abutting relation and said rear walls aligned in the same vertical plane, said joining channel positioned with said ear portions under each of said rear wall web portions and said body portion under-surface abutting said side wall web portions, said joining channel flange portions abutting the inner edge of each of said side wall web portions thereby securing said cabinet members to each other, and means to secure said joining channel to each of said cabinet member side wall web portions.

3. In combination, a pair of cabinet members each having a rear wall, front wall and side walls, each of said walls having a horizontal edge portion extending inwardly to form a web portion, said side wall and front wall Web portions each having a flange portion extending downwardly from the free edge of each of said web portions in a plane substantially parallel to said walls, a joining channel adapted to secure said cabinet members to each other, said joining channel having a body portion with front and rear transverse edge portions and longitudinal side edge portions, flange portions extending in the same direction from said longitudinal side edge portions, each of said flange portions extending horizontally beyond the rear transverse edge of said body portion to form ear portions, said cabinet members positioned with said side walls in abutting relation and said front and rear walls aligned in the same respective vertical planes, said joining channel positioned with said car portions under each of said rear wall web portions and said body portion under-surface abutting said side wall web portions, the inner surface of said joining channel flange portions abutting the outer surface of each of said side wall flange portions and said channel flange front edge portions abutting said front wall flange portions thereby securing said cabinet members to each other, and portions of said channel flanges and side wall flanges being bent toward said respective side walls thereby securing said joining channel to said cabinet members.

4. in combination, a pair of cabinet members each having a rear wall, a front wall, side walls and a top wall, said top wall being generally rectangular in shape and having vertical walls extending upwardly from the marginal edges, web portions extending inwardly from the upper horizontal edges of said top vertical wall, said web portions extending in the same horizontal plane, flange portions extending downwardly from the inner marginal edges of each of said web portions, the outer surface of said cabinet top vertical walls being secured to the inner surface of the respective cabinet walls with the upper horizontal edges of said cabinet member walls in the same horizontal plane as said cabinet top wall web portions, a joining channel adapted to secure said cabinet members to each other, said channel having a body portion with front and rear transverse edge portions and longitudinal side edge portions, flange portions extending downwardly from said longitudinal side edge portions, said flange portions having their lower longitudinal edge portions bent outwardly to form cam edge portions, each of said flange portions extending horizontally beyond the rear transverse edge of said body portion to form ear portions, said cabinet members positioned with said side walls in abutting relation and said front and rear walls aligned in the same respective vertical planes, said channel positioned with said ear portions under each of said top wall web portions adjacent to said cabinet rear walls and said channel body portion undersurface abutting said top wall web portions adjacent to said cabinet side walls, said channel flange cam edge portions being operable to permit said channel flange portions to slide over said cabinet top wall web portions adjacent to said cabinet side walls, the inner surface of said channel flange portions abutting the outer surface of each of said top wall flange portions adjacent to said side walls and said channel flange front edge portions abutting said top wall flange portions adjacent to said cabinet member front walls thereby securing said cabinet members to each other, a pair of slots extending vertically in each of said top wall flanges adjacent to said W cabinet member side walls to form top wall flange tab members, a second pair of slots extending vertically,"

each of said joining channel flange portions to fern. channel tabs, said channel being positioned with said channel tabs in overlying relation with said cabinet top wall flange tabs, said tabs being bent inwardly toward said respective side walls thereby securing said joining channel to said cabinet members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,836,901 Caldwell Dec. 15, 1931 1,990,756 Saaf Feb. 12, 1935 2,233,906 Zalkind Mar. 4, 1941 2,537,219 Girton Jan. 9, 1951 

